Headlight-dimmer.



J'. G. SHAW.

HEADLIGHT DIMMER. APPLICATION FILED APR.22. 1919.

1 3%,625, Pawnted Dec. 9,1919.

EN NT R y m z jwwm gggy @QZWQJ HEADLIGHTQDIMMER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

JAMES G. SHAW, OF SAN JOSE, GALIFOBN IA.

1 Patented Dec. 1919.

Application filed April 22, 1919. state No. 291,916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES G. SHAW, a citizen of the United States and IBSlClGIlli' of San Jose, in the county of Santa Clara and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Head-- light-Dimmers, of which the following is a specification. I

My invention relates to a means-of con-t trolling and dimming the light waves of an artificial light at a point near their source, and particularly to so controlling, confining, directing and dimming the light rays of a headlight. for motor vehicles as to more or less completely eliminate the blind; ing glare to which the occupants of another approaching car, or pedestrians, are sub-;

jected.

Further objects of my invention are to provide a device of the character indicated that will be simple in construction and operation, easily manufactured and applied, and capable of adaptation to any form 'of headlight.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view through the reflector of a headlight fittedv with my improved, device.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail section on 3-3 of Fig. 1:

Fig. 4 is a detail illustration of another embodiment of my invention, parts being.

broken away.

In the drawings, 1 indicates a headlight reflector having a true parabolic form such as is in common use on automobiles, 2 referring to the electric light, bulb positioned therein and 8 the annular flange formed upon its outer edge;

As illustrated, my device consists of an annular ring at having a thin flange 5 adaptcd to engage flange 3 on reflector 1. Ring 4: has a number of inwardly projecting pins 6 formed thereon and symmetrically arranged as sliown, the upper pin (3 on each side being preferably slightly above a hori zontal plane passing through bulb 2. Each pair of oppositely positioned pins (3 is connected with a flat metallic strip as 7 curving, downwardly at the center and slightly inclined downwardly from the back toward the front. The upper strip 7 is also carried inwardly to a point near the bulb 2 and each lower strip is also carried inwardly toward its central portion in such a manner that as a whole the strips 7 present a series of successively ascending and retreating forwardly inclined surfaces.

To the upper strip'i' are secured a pluadjacentflangcfi and the other strips 8 successivelydiminishing in size and retreating toward bulb 2; and all of strips 8 ha\'- ing their bread surfaces substantially parallel with the axis ,of the reflectorl. In

the drawing I have shown the inner edges of strips 7 and 8 so 'arra'ngedas to notinterfere with the light rays from bulb 2 as they travel toward reflectorfl so that most of the light thrown off 'by bulb 2 toward reflector'l isfreceivcd by said reflector and thrown forwardthrough the spaces between the several'strips 7 and 8; i

I prefer to render the strips 8 and the upper surfaces of strips 7 non-reflecting by a suitable coating of black or dark green light absorbing'materi'al and'to highly polish the lower surfaces of strips 7. Since the serviceable light'froni a headlight is practically all reflected light, the. bulb 2 itself may berendered invisible by means of a suitable guard, in'thc present. case in the form of a cone as f), mounted in the contral strip 8.

The result of thisconstruction is that the light rays as 10 may play upon, reflector 1 in the usual manner. and be reflected outwardly through the front of the reflector 1 as at 11 almost intheir entirety the obstruction offered by elements 7 and 8 being but slight in comparison with the area of unobstructed surface and the illuminating power of the reflector is but slightly, if any, impaired. 2

To an observer positioned at a point somewhat above the reflector or to either side of the same, the reflecting surface itself may not o 'visible. But under the ordinary condi- JODS of an automobile approaching an observer the reflecting surface would be visible until closely approached, and it is during 'this approaching period that my device formed in the lower portion of the reflector.

but the light striking said surfaces is re.- flected back with but little loss of brilliancy and thence out through the front of the reflector between said members 7.

\Vhile good results are secured withoutthe use of cone 9 it is preferred to insert the said cone, with a darkened inner surface, so' as to form a darkened image in that. portion of the reflector immediately surroundin bulb 2.

1le I have herein shown and described one specific form and application of my invention, I do not wish to be confined to the specific construction set forth, but to include all changes in form, construction, arrangement and combination of parts, members and features that may be included Within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A means for controlling the light from a reflector-having a source of light positioned therein, comprlsing a series-of spaced,

overlapping elements having their front and rear edges successively retreating from the frontof said reflector toward said source of light and having their inner edges spaced a distance from said reflector, a plurality of said elements extending transversely of said reflector below said source of light, each of said last mentioned elements having I greater Width than thickness, having its'ends xedly mounted adjacent the forward edge of said reflector, its inner edge spaced'a dis v tance from said reflector, its outer edge curving inwardly from each end to the center thereof, its upper and lower surfaces inclined downwardly and forwardly fromsaid source of light.

2. A means for-controllingthe light from a reflector having the source of light positioned therein, comprising a plurality of spaced elements extending transversely of the reflector and successively ascending and retreating toward said source of light from the bottom edge of said reflector, and a toward the said source of light from the.

bottom edge of said reflector, and a plurality of spaced elements arranged substantially concentric with the axis-0f the-reflector and above the said transversely positioned elements and having their'front and rear edges successively descending and retreating toward the source of light therein from the upper and side edges thereof.

' 4. Means for controlling the light froni a reflector having the source of light positioned therein, comprising a series ofspaced, overlapping elements having their front and rear edges successively retreating from the front of said reflector toward said source of light and having their inner edges spaced a distance from said reflector, and a hollow,

opaque conical closure -concentrically and.

141,- 19195 1 JAMES .7 SHAW; 

